Shun-ich Hata

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Shun-ich Hata is a leading researcher in agricultural robotics, with a primary focus on developing intelligent harvesting systems for fruit crops. His work centers on the intersection of computer vision, sensor integration, and robotic manipulation to solve the complex challenges of automated fruit picking. Hata’s most notable contribution is his pioneering approach to real-time 3-D localization of apples during harvest, as detailed in his highly cited 2013 paper, which has garnered 25 citations. In this work, he systematically evaluated two sensor methods for determining the precise spatial coordinates of Fuji apples, a critical step for enabling a robotic arm to grasp fruit without damage. This research laid essential groundwork for the practical deployment of apple harvesting robots, addressing the core engineering hurdle of accurate, high-speed fruit detection in unstructured orchard environments. Hata’s work is recognized for bridging the gap between theoretical computer vision and real-world agricultural applications, and his findings continue to inform the design of more robust and efficient harvesting systems. His contributions are particularly valuable for researchers and students working on field robotics, precision agriculture, and machine vision for non-industrial settings.